Rural Education Reform: The Consultation Process.

On September 10, 1996, the government of Newfoundland and Labrador (Canada) announced that public consultation on education reform would begin on September 16. Just prior to the first hearing, the government circulated a document entitled "Structuring the Education System: A Public Consultation Paper for Educational Change in Newfoundland and Labrador." This paper put forth the government's view that educational reform requires the closure and consolidation of community schools; that small schools are educationally deficient and a drain on the province's resources; that students must be bused to larger schools to take advantage of "better educational opportunities"; and that parents should accept these changes in the best interests of their children. It was clear from the first public meeting that rural communities across the province would not accept the government's reform agenda. Participants at the hearings were generally critical of the government's agenda and articulated the strongly felt view that closing small schools, increasing student busing, and rescinding the long-standing special allocation for small schools could not be characterized as improvements. Many were convinced that the government was primarily interested in saving money or forcing migration to larger "growth centres" by reducing services in rural areas. Public testimony centered on the great value of schools to rural communities, high levels of family and community involvement, intrinsic value of small-scale schooling, use of distance education and information technology to compensate for alleged deficiencies, negative impacts of long bus rides on students and their families, and issues related to schools designated as denominational schools. (SV)